The Bridge Engineering Software & Technology (BEST) Center of the University of
Maryland was established in 1986 to develop bridge related technology and provide a mechanism whereby the bridge oriented software which was developed for the Maryland State Highway Administration is made available on a commercial basis to other state design agencies and private consultants. To ensure that the
services and software provided by the BEST Center are of demonstrable quality,
and in
order to avoid potential liability, the State of Maryland has provided substantial resources to support the commercialization process. These resources have been provided over a twenty-year period from the Maryland State Highway Administration and numerous other sources. The BEST Center has been in operation for over ten years and has established a premiere quality development team and user base. Through bridge related projects, including laboratory and on-site testing, the BEST Center has accumulated years of experience and knowledge related to bridges.